Socioeconomic health disparities revisited: coping flexibility enhances health-related quality of life for individuals low in socioeconomic status

published_or_final_versio

Intuitive control of rolling sound synthesis

International audienceThis paper presents a rolling sound synthesis model which can be intuitively controlled. To propose this model, different aspects of the rolling phenomenon are explored : physical modeling, perceptual attributes and signal morphology. A source-filter model for rolling sounds synthesis is presented with associated intuitive controls

The Economics of the Public Option: Evidence from Local Pharmaceutical Markets

We study the effects of competition by state-owned firms, leveraging the decentralized entry of public pharmacies to local markets in Chile. Public pharmacies sell the same drugs at a third of private pharmacy prices, because of stronger upstream bargaining and market power in the private sector, but are of lower quality. Public pharmacies induced market segmentation and price increases in the private sector, which benefited the switchers to the public option but harmed the stayers. The countrywide entry of public pharmacies would reduce yearly consumer drug expenditure by 1.6 percent

Identifying hazardousness of sewer pipeline gas mixture using classification methods: a comparative study

In this work, we formulated a real-world problem related to sewer pipeline gas detection using the classification-based approaches. The primary goal of this work was to identify the hazardousness of sewer pipeline to offer safe and non-hazardous access to sewer pipeline workers so that the human fatalities, which occurs due to the toxic exposure of sewer gas components, can be avoided. The dataset acquired through laboratory tests, experiments, and various literature sources was organized to design a predictive model that was able to identify/classify hazardous and non-hazardous situation of sewer pipeline. To design such prediction model, several classification algorithms were used and their performances were evaluated and compared, both empirically and statistically, over the collected dataset. In addition, the performances of several ensemble methods were analyzed to understand the extent of improvement offered by these methods. The result of this comprehensive study showed that the instance-based learning algorithm performed better than many other algorithms such as multilayer perceptron, radial basis function network, support vector machine, reduced pruning tree. Similarly, it was observed that multi-scheme ensemble approach enhanced the performance of base predictors

Selective ring-opening of furfuryl alcohol to 1,5-pentanediol over Pt/aluminosilicates

Biomass-derived diols are key chemical building blocks for the sustainable chemical manufacturing of textiles and plastics, however their synthesis by a selective, scalable process from holocellulose is challenging. Furfuryl alcohol (FALC) is a potential precursor to 1,5-pentanediol (1,5-PeD) through acid-catalysed hydrogenolysis, and hence the impact of oxide support acidity on this reaction over Pt nanoparticles was investigated under batch and continuous flow in toluene. Platinum dispersed over weakly acidic fumed silica and mesoporous SBA-15 supports was almost inactive towards furfuryl alcohol at 150 °C and 10 bar H2 and promoted decarbonylation and hydrodeoxygenation of FALC to furan and methyltetrahydrofuran, respectively. The introduction of Al3+ into silica supports, to form either an amorphous silica-aluminate (ASA) or mesoporous Al-SBA-15, selectively activated the cyclic ether bond at the C2–O position, increasing the specific activity for FALC conversion in continuous flow from 20 mmol gPt−1 h−1 (Pt/SBA-15) to 295 mmol gPt−1 h−1 (Pt/ASA), and 1,5-PeD selectivity from ∼25% (Pt/SBA-15) to 65% (Pt/ASA). This synergy between metal and acid sites resulted in a \u3e25-fold enhancement in 1,5-PeD productivity, reaching 186 mmol gPt−1 h−1 for Pt/ASA, and was maintained for 7 h time-on-stream with negligible deactivation or metal leaching. A moderately acidic Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst exhibited reactivity intermediate between that of the Pt/silica and Pt/aluminosilicate catalysts. The yield of 1,5-PeD was directly proportional to the support acid site loading, indicating a common reaction mechanism. These findings demonstrate the striking promotion of metal catalysed hydrogenation that can be achieved through judicious support selection, and its translation from batch to flow with similar reaction kinetics

Edible bio-based nanostructures: delivery, absorption and potential toxicity

The development of bio-based nanostructures as nanocarriers of bioactive compounds to specific body sites has been presented as a hot topic in food, pharmaceutical and nanotechnology fields. Food and pharmaceutical industries seek to explore the huge potential of these nanostructures, once they can be entirely composed of biocompatible and non-toxic materials. At the same time, they allow the incorporation of lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive compounds protecting them against degradation, maintaining its active and functional performance. Nevertheless, the physicochemical properties of such structures (e.g., size and charge) could change significantly their behavior in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The main challenges in the development of these nanostructures are the proper characterization and understanding of the processes occurring at their surface, when in contact with living systems. This is crucial to understand their delivery and absorption behavior as well as to recognize potential toxicological effects. This review will provide an insight into the recent innovations and challenges in the field of delivery via GI tract using bio-based nanostructures. Also, an overview of the approaches followed to ensure an effective deliver (e.g., avoiding physiological barriers) and to enhance stability and absorptive intestinal uptake of bioactive compounds will be provided. Information about nanostructures potential toxicity and a concise description of the in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies will also be given.Joana T. Martins, Oscar L. Ramos, Ana C. Pinheiro, Ana I. Bourbon, Helder D. Silva and Miguel A. Cerqueira (SFRH/BPD/89992/2012, SFRH/BPD/80766/2011, SFRH/BPD/101181/2014, SFRH/BD/73178/2010, SFRH/BD/81288/2011, and SFRH/BPD/72753/2010, respectively) are the recipients of a fellowship from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT, POPH-QREN and FSE, Portugal). The authors thank the FCT Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and the project "BioInd-Biotechnology and Bioengineering for improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes," REF.NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028, co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2-O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. We also thank to the European Commission: BIOCAPS (316265, FP7/REGPOT-2012-2013.1) and Xunta de Galicia: Agrupamento INBIOMED (2012/273) and Grupo con potencial de crecimiento. The support of EU Cost Action FA1001 is gratefully acknowledged

Effect of trikatu pretreatment on the pharmacokinetics of pefloxacin administered orally in mountain Gaddi goats

The pharmacokinetics of orally administered pefloxacin were studied to evaluate the bio-enhancing effect of the herbal bio-enhancer, trikatu, in mountain Gaddi goats (n = 6). The findings of the study revealed a decreased plasma concentration (p > 0.05) of pefloxacin following trikatu administration during the absorption phase (10, 15, 20 min post pefloxacin administration). In contrast, the plasma concentrations of pefloxacin were significantly higher at 4, 6, 8 and 12 h (during the elimination phase) of the pefloxacin administration. The findings of the investigation revealed higher values for the area under the curve, the area under the first moment of the plasma drug concentration time curve, the mean residential time, the total duration of pharmacological action and bioavailability. Trikatu treatment, however, significantly reduced the elimination half life (t1/2β) and zero time intercept of the elimination phase. The apparent volume of distribution based on the total area under the plasma drug concentration curve [(Vd(area)] and the apparent volume of distribution based on the zero time plasma concentration intercept of the elimination phase [Vd(B)] were significantly higher in trikatu treated animals indicating a better penetration of the drug. Based on the MIC of 0.8 µg/ml of pefloxacin, a priming dose of 6.0 mg/kg and a maintenance dose of 2.21 mg/kg is required to be administered at 8 h intervals. For practical purposes in goats this would mean a priming dose of 6 mg/kg and a maintenance dose of 2 mg/kg given by the oral route, to be repeated at 8 h intervals

Constituents of the Essential Oil of Suregada zanzibariensis Leaves are Repellent to the Mosquito, Anopheles gambiae s.s.

In traditional African communities, repellent volatiles from certain plants generated by direct burning or by thermal expulsion have played an important role in protecting households against vectors of malaria and other diseases. Previous research on volatile constituents of plants has shown that some are good sources of potent mosquito repellents. In this bioprospecting initiative, the essential oil of leaves of the tree, Suregada zanzibariensis Verdc. (Angiospermae: Euphobiaceae) was tested against the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae s.s. Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) and found to be repellent. Gas chromatography (GC), GC-linked mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and, where possible, GC-co-injections with authentic compounds, led to the identification of about 34 compounds in the essential oil. About 56% of the constituents were terpenoid ketones, mostly methyl ketones. Phenylacetaldehyde (14.4%), artemisia ketone (10.1%), (1S)-(-)-verbenone (12.1%) and geranyl acetone (9.4%) were the main constituents. Apart from phenylacetaldehyde, repellent activities of the other main constituents were higher than that of the essential oil. The blends of the main constituents in proportions found in the essential oil were more repellent to An. gambiae s.s. than was the parent oil (p < 0.05), and the presence of artemisia ketone in the blend caused a significant increase in the repellency of the resulting blend. These results suggested that blends of some terpenoid ketones can serve as effective An. gambiae s.s. mosquito repellents